The Dragon Waiting: A Masque of History [Hardcover]

John M. Ford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1983

The Wars of the Roses have put Edward IV on the throne of England, Lorenzo de' Medici's court shines brilliantly, and Duke Galeazzo Maria Sforza plots in Milan. But this is a changed world, and medieval Europe is dominated by the threat from the Byzantine Empire. Sforza, the Vampire Duke, marshals his forces for his long-planned attack on Florence, and Byzantium is on the march. A mercenary, the exiled heir to the Byzantine throne, a young woman physician forced to flee Florence, and a Welsh wizard, the nephew of Owain Gly Dwr, seem to have no common goals but together they wage an intrigue-filled campaign against the might of Byzantium, striving to secure the English throne for Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and make him Richard III.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John M. Ford is a writer of science fiction and fantasy and, under a pseudonym, children's fiction. He is winner of the Philip K. Dick Award and two World Fantasy Awards, including one for THE DRAGON WAITING, a Gollancz Fantasy Masterwork. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 365 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; First Edition edition (November 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671475525
• ISBN-13: 978-0671475529
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,190,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rough magic, August 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Dragon Waiting: A Masque of History (Hardcover)

A dark and gritty fantasy/alternate-history/vampire novel of remarkable psychological and political complexity (even unravelling the web of betrayal, intrigue and back-stabbing that forms the background to the main plot requires considerable thought), giving a panoramic sweep of a 15th-century Europe soaked in blood and magic.

Ford makes a few elegant changes in the course of history (which are never spelled out, the reader being flung in at the deep end and left to work it out for themselves), and then develops the logical consequences of these changes with uncompromising realism (and considerable wit - merely as a matter of incidental detail, for example, we discover that Christianity never took root and is now a minor and largely-forgotten heresy). Life is as nasty, brutal and short as it presumably was in the real 15th-century, and the protagonists are complicated, messed-up, and thoroughly believable human beings (the book even includes that rarity, a female leading character who isn't terminally bland), despite or because of which the book is hugely enjoyable and great fun.

Definitely not for those looking for another slice of pseudo-Tolkien questing, but highly recommended for anyone interested in something a little more challenging. It demands more thought than the average fantasy, but richly rewards the effort. A real treat.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, December 28, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Dragon Waiting: A Masque of History (Paperback)

I read this book, more or less by accident, not particularly famous and was dazzled. Wow. Can't think of what to say, but will try.

The novel is set in an alternate history Europe, where either Constantine never converted to Christianity or Julian established the equality of all faiths, and the Byzantine Empire never declined, but in fact by the middle of the XVth century controls most of Eastern Europe and is trying to get as much of the West as possible. And magic works, and vampires exist also. I don't usually like alternate history, the real historical characters usually look unlikely next to the alternate bits, but this novel handled it perfectly, and the real historical characters of the XVth century (Richard III of England, his mother, and brothers, the Earl Rivers, Louis XI of France, the Medicci, the Duke of Urbino) are a joy to read about if you have met them before.

Great novel, deserving of a far better review than this one.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is to fantasy what Dune is to SF., September 21, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dragon Waiting: A Masque of History (Hardcover)

One of my favourite books,The Dragon Waiting, is a superb blend of history and fantasy. Mixing historical characters from the 15th century and captivating fictional heroes, this is a book that is both engrossing and enjoyable. John M Ford, a much underated author, succeeds in combining in-depth research with a vivid imagination and tweaks history to create a vision of europe where conspiracies lurk behind shady motives and dark characters, vampirism is a spreadable disease and magic a burden to the magician. A truly marvellous book, that deserves reprinting.